When the OnePlus 13T launched in China last month, I was intrigued as it packed more battery capacity than the OnePlus 13 in a smaller form factor. Now, the company has teased a new phone called OnePlus 13S, which looks similar to the 13T and carries the tagline “Powered up. Sized down” on its teaser poster.
The “sized down” part doesn’t mean we’re getting an iPhone mini-esque phone. If it is indeed the OnePlus 13T, it’ll sport a 6.3-inch display, which is far from the iPhone 12 mini’s 5.42-inch screen. But in 2025, where the largest iPhone display stretches to 6.9 inches, a 6.3-inch phone does qualify as compact in comparison.
The OnePlus 13S will likely be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. It is the flagship Qualcomm SoC that’s responsible for fast and smooth performance on major 2025 flagship phones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Xiaomi 15 Ultra, OnePlus 13, and more. But all of these are conventionally big phones. Their smaller siblings, Galaxy S25 and Xiaomi 15 are more compact and offer same performance. The OnePlus 13S will be a similar phone, but it could be better than the rest.
While OnePlus hasn’t officially announced a launch date, I’m genuinely excited about the 13S because it might just be the perfect blend of power and portability, like the Xiaomi 15. But with OnePlus’ own flair and here are three reasons why you should also pay attention to the next OnePlus phone.
A no-compromise display
The OnePlus 13S will likely feature a 6.3-inch AMOLED display with an LTPO panel, where the refresh rate can go as low as 1Hz. It allows for unparalleled efficiency, which is essential for compact phones. If the OnePlus 13 is any indication, you can expect a bright and vivid display with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support.
I hope the OnePlus 13S retains the Aqua Touch Display tech from its siblings, the OnePlus 13 and 13R. It is one of the reasons why I enjoy using a OnePlus phone so much. First introduced with the OnePlus 12, Aqua Touch lets you register accurate finger touches on the screen even when it’s wet. If you’ve used any of the iPhones, you know how unresponsive the display gets with a few water droplets on it – that’s a non-issue for the OnePlus flagships.
All the power without the bulk
The OnePlus 13T is smaller than Google’s Pixel 9 but houses a similar-sized screen, a bigger battery, and a more powerful processor. The OnePlus 13S likely won’t be very different. Going by the 13T’s specs, you can expect flagship performance, but for a phone that finally fits in every pocket.
Thanks to recent advancements in battery tech, we’ve got silicon-carbon batteries, and OnePlus seems to be making the most of it by exploring more form factors. You can expect a 6,000mAh or more battery capacity that charges at 80W to fit inside a form factor smaller than the Pixel 9. I love that I don’t need to compromise on performance or choose the biggest possible phone to get a device that would last me an entire day.
The OnePlus 13S’ combo of flagship performance and big battery will set it apart from the rest. Most flagship compact phones in the market currently compromise on battery life, whether it be the best flip phones or the likes of Galaxy S25 and Pixel 9. The Xiaomi 15 with its 5,240mAh battery was different and lasted an entire day on every charge, but the OnePlus 13S could take it to the next level with its 6,200mAh battery.
The OnePlus 13T weighs 185 grams, which isn’t the lightest, but I’m looking forward to having Qualcomm’s flagship performance paired with an efficient display and a big battery in something that’s less than 200 grams. It sounds amazing, at least on paper.
A very capable camera system
The OnePlus 13S will feature a new camera module to house two sensors, and neither of them will be less capable than the other. I hope the company delivers the same optics as the OnePlus 13T and doesn’t trade one of the sensors for a less compelling macro camera or an 8MP ultrawide-angle lens.
For context, the OnePlus 13T sports two 50MP cameras. The primary sensor is a 1/1.56” 24mm wide camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and f/1.8 aperture. The second is a 1/2.76-inch telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom and f/2.0 aperture. It reminds me of the Oppo Find N2 Flip camera system, which was better than other flip phones at the time.
While many might argue that an ultrawide sensor is better than a telephoto, I prefer having a zoom lens over an ultrawide. I like clicking architecture and portraits, both of which are better taken care of by a telephoto camera. Do I still use the ultrawide camera on my Galaxy S25 Ultra? Yes, for scenic shots. I’d love to have all three cameras on my phone, but if I were to pick, I’d pick the telephoto over ultrawide, and so, the OnePlus 13S appeals to me.
The OnePlus 13S sounds amazing
A combination of flagship performance and big battery is ideally reserved for big phones like the iPhone 16 Pro Max, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. Their smaller counterparts either compromise on battery or display quality. But the OnePlus 13S is shaping up to be one of those rare phones that pack a flagship punch with a big battery in a small form factor.
It is scheduled to launch in India in the coming weeks. However, OnePlus US and OnePlus Europe have confirmed that the OnePlus 13T or 13S won’t be released in their respective regions.
According to a statement given to The Verge, the company said, “Currently, we have no plans to launch the OnePlus 13S in Europe. That being said, we have noted the interest in the product from our European users, and we will keep it in mind as we make product launch decisions going forward.” The same goes for OnePlus US.
Despite the limited availability, I hope OnePlus can deliver the bang-for-buck value and an excellent user experience with its next smartphone. It is shaping up to be something different and promising.
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